William Unger, or Wilhelm Unger (11 September 1837,

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

– 5 March 1932,

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...

) was a German

etcher Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...

and engraver.

Biography

His father was the

jurist A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyzes and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal education in law (a law degree) and often a Lawyer, legal prac ...

and art historian, . While he was still a toddler, his family moved to

Göttingen Göttingen (, ; ; ) is a college town, university city in Lower Saxony, central Germany, the Capital (political), capital of Göttingen (district), the eponymous district. The River Leine runs through it. According to the 2022 German census, t ...

. Both he and his older sister, displayed artistic talent at an early age. Her interests turned to painting, while he became more involved with etching. Beginning in 1854, he studied at the

Kunstakademie Düsseldorf The Kunstakademie Düsseldorf is the academy of fine arts of the state of North Rhine Westphalia at the city of Düsseldorf, Germany. Notable artists who studied or taught at the academy include Joseph Beuys, Gerhard Richter, Blinky Palermo, Ma ...

with the engraver, then, in 1858, transferred to the

Academy of Fine Arts Munich The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich (, also known as Munich Academy) is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany. It is located in the Maxvorstadt district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. In the second half of the 19th centur ...

, where he studied with , who specialized in

copper engraving Engraving is the practice of incising a design on a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a Burin (engraving), burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or Glass engraving, glass ar ...

. He returned to Göttingen in 1859. The following year, his father agreed to finance more studies in Düsseldorf. The next three years proved to be disappointing and difficult. An apprentice with the engraver, did not turn out as planned. It became harder to work, and he felt that he was a burden on his father. Eventually, he became ill. After a few weeks of recuperation, he returned home to help take care of Johanna, who was also ill. When his depression lifted, he began travelling; to

Kassel Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in North Hesse, northern Hesse, in Central Germany (geography), central Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel (region), Kassel and the d ...

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

and

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

. He finally went to

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

, seeking work with one of the publishers there. He found employment with E. A. Seemann in 1866, providing illustrations for their ''Zeitschrift für bildende Kunst'' (Journal of Fine Art). He was engaged in this work for several years. He also published books with reproductions of famous paintings. He married in 1870 and was appointed a Professor at the

Grand-Ducal Saxon Art School, Weimar The Grand-Ducal Saxon Art School, Weimar (German:Großherzoglich-Sächsische Kunstschule Weimar) was founded on 1 October 1860, in Weimar, Germany, by a decree of Charles Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. It existed until 1910, when ...

, in 1871. He spent most of his summers from 1871 to 1877 visiting art galleries in the Netherlands. Later, he settled in Vienna, where he took over management of the University of Applied Arts in 1881. He was elected a member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts The Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts (), commonly called the Royal Academy, is located in Stockholm, Sweden. An independent organization that promotes the development of painting, sculpture, architecture, and other fine arts, it is one of seve ...

in 1884, and was named a Professor at the

Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna () is a public art school in Vienna, Austria. Founded in 1688 as a private academy, it is now a public university. The academy is also known for twice rejecting admission to a young Adolf Hitler in 1907 and 1908. ...

, in 1894. His students included ,

Rudolf Jettmar Rudolf Jettmar (10 September 1869, Tarnów — 21 April 1939, Vienna) was an Austrian Painting, painter and Printmaking, printmaker. The largest collection of the work of Rudolf Jettmar in the United States is held by the James (Jack) Daulton, Ja ...

, Oswald Roux and

Ferdinand Schmutzer Ferdinand Schmutzer (21 May 1870 – 26 October 1928) was an Austrian photographer and engraver. His works are held in the permanent collections of many museums worldwide, including the National Museum of Western Art, the Freud Museum in London, ...

. Following his retirement in 1908, he spent most of his time creating drawings and watercolors. His wife died in 1919, and he went to live with his daughter, Else, in Innsbruck. In 1928 his autobiography, ''Aus meinem Leben'' (From my Life), was published by the Gesellschaft für vervielfältigende Kunst.

Selected works

File:Eve shows Adam the apple she has bitten. Etching by W. Unger Wellcome V0034193.jpg, Eve Showing Adam
the Apple File:An itinerant medicine vendor performing on stage with severa Wellcome V0016156.jpg, An Itinerant Medicine Vendor in Rome File:A young man seated, holding a book and a pair of dividers, t Wellcome V0025328.jpg, The Three Philosophers, after

Giorgione Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco (; 1470s – 17 September 1510), known as Giorgione, was an Italian painter of the Venetian school during the High Renaissance, who died in his thirties. He is known for the elusive poetic quality of his work, ...

File:William Unger Portrait Franz Joseph.jpg,

Emperor Franz Joseph Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I ( ; ; 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 1848 until his death in 1916. In the early part of his reig ...

Sources

Biography of Unger
@ Ober St.Veit
''Unger, William''
In: Friedrich von Boetticher: ''Malerwerke des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts. Beitrag zur Kunstgeschichte''. Dresden 1898, Vol.2, pg.909 *

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unger, William 1837 births 1932 deaths 20th-century German etchers 19th-century German etchers 19th-century German engravers 20th-century German engravers Kunstakademie Düsseldorf alumni Academic staff of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna German emigrants to Austria-Hungary Artists from Hanover